Information Society Watch

2001, Ann Travers, Radical Pedagogy

In keeping with the typical pattern associated with the introduction of new technologies, many promises have been made about the positive benefits of new information technologies to society. This article focuses on such promises as they relate to the expansion of public space in western society. The author argues that technologies do exist and could be further developed to deliver on these promises but that these technologies are not the hardware and software celebrated by proponents of computer-based communications technologies. Public technologies are necessarily social in nature. The author focuses particularly on public education - in particular the site of the classroom - as an appropriate and potentially powerful site for developing and teaching such public technologies. (Author)

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